Second Son
by Azure Umbra
Summary: AU where Mao Mao gets an adoptive little brother rather than a pet: Shin Mao -Mao Mao's dad- finds a lonely little homeless kid and decides to take him in. What will Mao Mao think?


**_What happened when the Mao family's seventh child came home for the very first time?_**

* * *

"Girls, I'm home!"

Shin Mao had just gotten back home, his five daughters making their way to him upon hearing his call. By the time they all gathered around him, they were already talking, asking him a number of questions while whispering among each other.

Mao Mao jumped up and down from behind where his sisters were standing, trying to get a look at what they were seeing. From what glimpses he could catch from over their shoulders, he could tell that one of his father's arms were bent, his forearm lifted until it was horizontal as though he were carrying something.

"Now now, no need to get that excited," Shin Mao said while holding up his other free hand, trying to rein in everyone's excitement. "We just got back, so try not to be too overwhelming."

Mao Mao saw his sisters beginning to inch backwards a little bit while starting to speak tenderly in cutie-talk, saying hello and giving little waves of their hands, the taller sisters even bending over a little bit. Getting tired of jumping, he tried leaning left and right to look in the spaces between where his sisters stood. He managed to get a small brief glimpse of his father holding something in his arm, something that looked fuzzy, tan-colored, and was wiggling around in the larger armored cat's grasp. Now even more intrigued, the little kitten tried to squeeze his way through, pushing at his sisters' sides for a little more moving space despite said sisters expressing displeasure at that.

That was when Mao Mao saw him:

Being carried by Shin Mao was a little puppy with big ears, black beady eyes, and had fur that was of a dark tan with a light peachy-cream underside which covered his chin, belly, and the rest of his front. He was wearing a dirty t-shirt that was too big for him; the collar sagged around the base of his neck, the short sleeves hung and folded around his arms like those of a kimono robe, and the bottom hem went down past his knees as though it were a skirt. He looked around with an anxious look on his face, which gradually softened as he soaked in the greetings of the black female cats standing around him speaking to him tenderly. He turned to look up at the big father cat carried him who looked back down at him with a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Bao Bao," he told the puppy known as **Bao Bao** encouragingly, "They're your new sisters and I'm your daddy now." He gave Bao Bao a gentle pat on the head before getting ready to move further into the house. "Hey girls, think you can give me a hand in getting this little guy some new clothes and a hot meal while he gets a bath?" The sisters nodded, immediately spreading out to do what their father asked. As he saw them all leave, he then turned to where the bathhouse and hot springs were and began walking, holding on to Bao Bao all the while.

"Um, hello?"

Shin Mao stopped walking as he saw Bao Bao looking down at the littlest kitten standing near the two. Mao Mao was smiling and giving a little wave, hoping he seized his chance to greet who he assumed is his new brother.

Bao Bao looked somewhat startled for a moment, but he then waved back with a little smile of his own. "Hi," was his quiet response. He snuggled up a little more tightly into Shin Mao's chest right after but didn't take his eyes off Mao Mao.

"Oh, right," Shin Mao commented with a little stagger in his tone, "Momo, this is Bao Bao, your new little brother. You're bigger than him, so no picking on him, alright?"

Mao Mao could say nothing despite knowing his father said his name wrong…again, but nodded to him. For the moment, Mao Mao was glad that he got to say hi to a new family member, one who is younger than him at that, as well as hearing his dad talk to him. He watched his father resume walking to the baths and saw that Bao Bao was still looking at him from over the big cat's shoulder. Seeing that the puppy wasn't just looking at him, but looking at him for a long while made Mao Mao feel warm inside, encouraging him to give Bao Bao another smile-filled wave. Bao Bao didn't wave back again, but still gave another faint smile in return. The lingering friendly feelings only lasted until Mao Mao heard his father speak to Bao Bao again:

_"Oh, Bao Bao, you're so adorable. I only had you for a little while and I already know you're gonna be a wonderful son."_ Shin Mao sighed, nuzzling his chin over Bao Bao's cottony head. _"So nice to have another boy in this family."_

Mao Mao just knew that his daddy loved him too.


End file.
